Lockheed F-104S Starfighter

Last revised December 13, 1999

The F-104S (S for "Sparrow") was the most potent version of the
Starfighter to be built. It was an upgraded and improved version of
the F-104G that was built by Fiat. The aircraft was initially
built to meet a requirement issued by the Aeronautica Militare
Italiana (AMI). However, it has also been exported to Turkey.

The F-104S was the winner of the AWX (All-Weather Interceptor) design
competition held in 1965 by the Italian air force for a new
all-weather interceptor. The Lockheed CL-980 design (ultimately to be
named F-104S) was selected for this requirement after extensive
evaluation of other designs such as the Dassault Mirage III, McDonnell
Douglas F-4 Phantom, Northrop F-5, and North American F-100.

The F-104S is fitted with the more powerful J79-GE-19, rated at 11,870
lb.s.t. dry and 17,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner. This engine
provides 13 percent more power than the engine of the F-104G, and
requires auxiliary inlet doors on the intake sides to provide
additional air during takeoff.

The F-104S differs from the F-104G in being equipped with an NASARR
R-21G/H radar which has moving-target indication and tracking
capability that acts in association with with a medium-range
radar-guided missile fit. All previous Starfighters could fire only
infrared-homing air-to-air missiles. The R21G/H also has
contour/ground mapping and terrain avoidance modes, so that it can
also act as a fighter-bomber.

The F-104S had more underwing and fuselage stores attachments,
including two extra fuselage pylons underneath the air intakes,
increasing the total number of strongpoint provisions to nine (two on
the wingtips, four underneath the wings, two underneath the forward
fuselage, and one on the fuselage centerline). Two hard points under
each wing are for fuel/bombs (inner) and BVR missiles (outer). The
wingtips usually carry fuel tanks, as does the centerline. The
underfuselage pylons usually carried AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. In
order to accommodate extra fuel and avionics, the F-104S had to
dispense with the internal 20-mm M61A1 cannon, the port being faired
over.

Extra keel area was added by fitting a slightly larger ventral fin,
with two extra ventral fins on either side of the original. As an
interceptor, the F-104S could carry two underwing AIM-7 Sparrow
semi-active radar homing and/or two AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared homing
missiles. As a fighter-bomber it could carry up to 7500 pounds of
bombs, napalm tanks, or rocket pods on nine external attachment points

The improvements which led to the F-104G were first flight-tested by
Lockheed on a modified RF-104G (USAF serial number 64-2624). Lockheed
then received an Italian contract to modify two Fiat-built F-104Gs
(MM6658 and MM6660) as prototypes for an advanced all-purpose aircraft
with improved capabilities. The first Lockheed-modified F-104S flew
in December 1966, and the first Fiat-built F-104S flew on December 30,
1968.

Most of the Italian aerospace industry participated in the F-104S
program. 65 percent of the F-104S production was handled by Italian
firms. Fiat (later to be retitled Aeritalia) headed up a group
including Alfa Romeo and Macchi which manufactured the airframes. The
J1Q engines were built by Fiat and GE International, whereas Selenia
undertook license production of the Sparrrow III AAM. FIAR of Milan
co produced the NASAAR R21-G radar in collaboration with NAA's
Autonetics Division.

The initial AMI order was for 165 F-104S aircraft. Deliveries started
in the spring of 1969. The first AMI F-104S entered service in June
of 1969 with 22o (Interceptor) Gruppo. They went to equip eight
multi-role squadrons, although the first 40 aircraft were completed as
fighter-bombers, apparently because their full air defense systems
were not yet ready. In the early 1970s, AMI orders were increased by
an other 40 to 206. In addition, in October of 1974 Turkey ordered 40
F-104Ss.

The Fiat group produced a total of 246 F-104Ss, 206 of them for the
AMI and 40 for Turkey. AMI serials were MM6701/6850, MM6869/MM6881,
MM6886/MM6887, MM6890, and MM6907/MM6494, a total of 206 being
delivered. A further 20 were laid down for a subsequently-cancelled
Turkish order. Only one of these--MM6946--was completed as a
replacement for MM6766 which crashed before delivery. Turkey's forty
F-104Ss were interspersed through the production run. The forty
Turkish F-104Ss were 6851/6868, 6888/6889, and 6891/6906.

F-104S deliveries were completed by March of 1979. The delivery of
the last F-104S marked the end of Starfighter production throughout
the world, with a total of 2579 being built in the US, Canada,
Belgium, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands.

The more powerful J79-GE-19 engine of the F-104S provided vastly
improved acceleration, rate of climb, and maneuverability at all
speeds and altitudes. In addition, the lower specific fuel
consumption of this engine allowed for increased range. The F-104S
was the most potent version of the Starfighter to be built.

The F-104S was supplied to the following AMI units:

9o Gruppo of the 4o Stormo based at
Grosseto (1970 to date)

10o Gruppo of the 9o Stormo at Grazzanise (1973 to date)

12o Gruppo of the 36o Stormo at Gioia del Colle (1970 to 1995).

18o Gruppo of the
37o Stormo based at Trapani/Birgi (Oct 1984 to date)

20o Gruppo of the 4o Stormo based at Grosseto (1980 to date).
Starfighter OCU.

21o Gruppo of the 53o Stormo based at Cameri/Novara (1970 to date)

22o Gruppo of the 51o Stormo based at
Istrana (1974 to date)

23o Gruppo of the 5o Stormo based at Rimini/Miramare (March 1973 to date).
Formed as 101o Gruppo/5o Aerobrigata. To Cervia 1995.

102o Gruppo of the 5o Stormo based at Rimini (March 1973 to July 1993).

155o Gruppo of the 51o Stormo, formerly in 5o Stormo, Piacenza, to
January 1, 1985.

156o Gruppo of the 36o Stormo at Gioia del Colle (1970 to late 1982).

Flight tests of a modernized demonstrator, the F-104S ASA
(Aggiornamento Sistema d'Arma, or Updated Weapons System) began in
December of 1984. The ASA upgrade was designed to extend the
operating lives of the surviving AMI F-104S interceptors to the end of
the century and beyond. It had a Fiat R21G/M1 radar with automatic
frequency-hopping and a moving target indicator that conferred true
look-down/shoot-down capability. New avionics included a four-digit
NATO IFF, an improved weapons delivery computer, and the addition of
an automatic pitch control computer. The ASA F-104S had provision for
the use of the all-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder in place of the original
rear-attack AIM-9Bs. It had the ability to carry the Selenia Apside
1A medium- to long-range radar-guided air-to-air missile in place of
the AIM-7E Sparrow III. The Apside 1 is a developed version of the
AIM-7E Sparrow with a new CW monopulse seeker head with home-on-jam
capability, improved ECCM, active radar fuse, longer range (22 miles)
and new wing control actuators. In order to accommodate the extra
avionics required for BVR missile capability, the F-104S had to
dispense with the internal cannon. The effect of miniaturization
allowed the ASA program to reinstate the gun. Most Italian F-104Ss
were brought up to this standard.

The Apside entered service with the F-104S/ASA in 1988. For air
intercept missions, the F-104S ASA typically carries an AIM-9L
Sidewinder under the port wing, an Alenia Aspide 1A missile underneath
the starboard wing, and two wingtip tanks. In the fully-loaded (but
seldom used) configuration, the F-104S ASA carries four Sidewinders
(two underneath the fuselage and two on the wingtips), two Aspides,
and two drop tanks.

Although the last AMI single-seat F-104Gs were withdrawn from service
in 1983, substantial numbers of F-104S fighters remain in service with
the AMi today. The F-104S is expected to remain in service with the
Aeronautica Militare Italiana until at least the late 1990s.

The F-104S is now overdue for retirement and replacement. It is
planned that the F-104S will be replaced by the Eurofighter 2000.
Pending availability of that aircraft, the Aeronautica Militare
Italiana plans to lease 24 Tornado F Mk.3 interceptors from the Royal
Air Force. The first of these aircraft will replace F-104S ASAs of
the 12o Grouppo at Gioia del Colle. At Cameria, Starfighters of the
21o Gruppo will remain in service for at least two more years.

Just in case the EFA program gets delayed or even cancelled, the ASAM
program was introduced in 1992 to build on the ASA upgrade with
further enhanced air defense capability. This would entail the
replacement of radio and navigation systems with those from the AMX.
In early 1996, ninety F-104S/ASA aircraft were slated for ASAM
upgrade. It is probable that Italy will still be maintaining its
F-104S fleet in first-line survive more than 50 years after the first
flight of the XF-104 prototype, which must be some sort of record for
a combat aircraft.

AMI Serials of F-104S:

MM6701/MM6850
MM6869/MM6881,
MM6878 was written off Feb 15, 1995 at Cuneo, Italy.
MM6886/MM6887
MM6890
MM6907/MM6494
MM6496 was replacement for MM6766 which crashed before delivery